Johnny Hamlet (1968) User Reviews (11)

Nice Spaghetti freely based on Shakespeare play and being well directed by Enzo G Castell

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 27 March 2014]

Decent Spaghetti adaptation of Hamlet with thrills , violence , shoot'em up and well set . This Ravioli Western packs violence , shootouts , high body-count and it's fast moving and some moments genuinely entertaining . On his way back from the American Civil War (1861-1865) , Johnny (Andrea Giordana) is visited in his sleep by the ghost of his father who lets him know that he has been killed and who asks him to revenge him . Back in the family mansion , Johnny aware that not only has his deceased father has been murdered but that Gerty /Gertrude (Françoise Prevost) , his mummy , has married her late husband's brother Claude Hamilton (Horst Frank) . The latter is now the proprietary of the ranch and of all the ownerships of his daddy . Santana/Polonius, a nasty Mexican outlaw , is supposed to have murdered Johnny's father. Then Johnny seeks vendetta against Santana , Claude and his underlings (Ennio Girolami , Pedro Sánchez) .

Interesting Spaghetti packs drama , thrills , action , and lots of shots and gunplay .It's an exciting western with breathtaking showdown between the protagonists and hoodlums . There is a huge shootout in the ranch and a breathtaking face off between Andrea Giordana and Horst Frank . Good cast as Andrea Giordana who starred ¨Massacre at Grand canyon¨ , "The Dirty Outlaws" and this ¨Johnny Hamlet¨ at his best . Nice acting by Gilbert Roland as Horace ; he starred some Spaghetti such as Sonora, Goldseekers , Any Gun Can Play and Between God , the devil and a Winchester . Horst Frank as a cruelly baddie role is terrific, he steals the spectacle as a crazed psychopath ; former and subsequently he would play similar characters in various oaters . Furthermore, there appears usual Macarroni secondary actors such as John Bartha ,Ennio Girolami , director's brother , and Ignazio Spalla or Pedro Sanchez who used to play similar roles to great Fernando Sancho . This widely deemed picture , unlike most conventional Spaghetti Western , contains exceptional setting , colorful images with an atmospheric cinematography by Angelo Filippini . Agreeable musical score by Francesco De Massi , Spaghetti's usual , including catching and evocative songs by Alessandro Alessandroni , usual collaborator to Ennio Morricone .

The motion picture was professionally filmed by Enzo G Castell . Director Enzo G achieved in "Johnny Hamlet " possibly one of his best works of an important career , with some memorable scenes , appropriate camera movement and descriptive close-ups . Enzo usually makes experimental editing techniques such as unbroken transitions from one scene to another and a cameo appearance in his films . Castellari often works with Guido and Maurizio De Angelis and uses to do slow motion shootouts and choreographic death scenes . Enzo is a good a craftsman working in all kind of genres , as he made Western especially . His first one was ¨Some dollars for Django¨ co-directed by Leon Klimovsky , but actually, for the most part of its filming by the disagreements arising with Klimovsky was realized by Enzo G. Castellari, which this film was his directorial debut in a sub-genre that became one of its greatest representatives ; in fact if you compare the beginning of "7 Winchester for a massacre" which would direct the next year and the end this one seem to be similar direction . After that , he went on directing ¨ Johnny Hamlet¨ , ¨Kill them everybody and came back alone¨, ¨Tedeum¨ , ¨Cipolla colt¨ and the masterpiece : ¨Keoma¨ and finally its inferior sequel ¨Jonathan of the Bears¨ also with Franco Nero . Some of them are serious , others are goofy and plenty of slapstick and slapdash . This ¨Johnny Hamlet¨ (1968) is a bewildering story , enjoyable in lots of parts and it will appeal to Spaghetti Western fans . It's an acceptable film , and better than a lot of the ulterior spaghetti western to come .

Other Spaghetti Westerns freely based on famous novels and plays are the followings : ¨Apocalypse Joe¨ by Leopoldo Savona with Anthony Steffen that takes elements from ¨Hamlet¨ and ¨Macbeth¨ of Shakespeare . Other Spaghetti freely based on notorious play by Shakespeare is ¨The Fury of Johnny Kid¨ by Gianni Puccini with Peter Lee Lawrence and Cristina Galbo from ¨Romeo and Giuletta¨ along with "Bullets and the Flesh" by Marino Girolami . Other Spaghetti based on known and classic plays and novels are : ¨The return of Ringo¨ by Duccio Tessari inspired on the ¨Odyssey¨, and ¨John Il Bastardo¨(1967) based on books from Zorrilla and Moliere ; ¨Long days of vengeance¨ by Florentano Vancini with Giuliano Gemma and Francisco Rabal , being based on classic novel titled ¨The count of Montecristo¨ written by Alexandre Dumas and ¨between God , the devil and a Winchester¨ based on Treasure island , being directed by Marino Girolami , father of Enzo G Castellari , with Richard Harrison , Gilbert Roland and Roberto Camardiel .

Slightly above average "Spaghetti Western"

[merklekranz · 6/10 · 13 March 2021]

First the good. The revenge story has a somewhat unique feel to it, despite being simply another revenge story, with a Hamlet storyline for the script. This makes it seem like fresher "Spaghetti." The location shooting is good, with some unique geological rocks, and more importantly caves. It is intriguing to see a cemetery located in one of these underground caverns. The soundtrack by Francesco De Masi is appropriate and good. Now the bad. Acting by anyone not named Gilbert Roland is sub par, including the wooden lead performance. The stunt work is also at fault, especially the fight scenes, which appear weak throughout. The film is totally watchable, but certainly is no classic. MERK

The cinematography couldn't save this one

[Gloede_The_Saint · 5/10 · 7 March 2011]

As you will have guessed from it's title, this is indeed a spaghetti western based on Hamlet. Unless you are illiterate you will know the story, and a lot of the fun stems from seeing how this version differs from the play.

However, most everything else is quite cheap. True, the cinematography is fantastic, but even visually it got clumsy - there is a scene where Johnny is bent over and the camera circles his upper body in a manner that almost makes it seem he has no body at all. And there are plenty of more mistakes like this.

However, the technical aspects is the least of this films problems. Johnny Hamlet's biggest problems are: The Acting - random smirks and incomprehensible behavior. Gertie see's her son, looks at him for a long while and then he disappears. A few seconds later she says "Who's there" and then in the same breath - "Johnny(wait)". Just a few seconds later his uncle comes out, give a few lines, looks at him for a while, for then to shout "Johnny" like an hello. + Lot of moronic smirks like "hey I'm the bad guy, you should know that".

The Plotting - People seem to know everything. For example a person rides out to find someone this person has no way of knowing where is, however the character had apparently read the script. And lets not forget a disappearing circus troupe. And why the hell do they let the bad guys go every time they try to kill them. "Oh that's OK guys, we'll talk to you later". Jesus.

As stated, it's strengths/entertainment value lies primarily in the fantastic cinematography and comparing the film to the play. But this film is, at least to me, too damn dumb.

The play's the thing

[Chip_douglas · 16 May 2004]

This western starts of with our hero Johnny, who sports an orange brown tan and sparkling white teeth, having a nightmare about his father (of whom we only get to see his long black cape). He soon wakes up at the beach (?) where a group of traveling performers are reciting Hamlet. Johnny shoots some people (not the actors) and gets on his horse to leave. If he had stayed to get more acquainted with "the Danish play" it could have saved him a lot of trouble.

After a rip-roaring theme song that proclaims ‘A dreamer grows wise as he opens his eyes', director Enzo G. Castellari immediately sets the tone by mixing Sergio Leone's spaghetti style with that of Sidney J. Fury's "The Appaloosa". There are countless zoom shots, a loud and eclectic musical score ranging from angelic choirs to kitchen utensil sound effects, extreme closeups, minute attention to detail (we spend some time seeing an extra tying his old fashioned cowboy laces) and just about every shot seems to have something obscuring the frame, be it a chair, a staircase or an open fire. But when Johnny arrives back home to spy on his widowed mother (nicknamed 'the Queen') and witnesses her being spanked in the bedroom by her new husband Claudio, it becomes clear as water where these characters originated.

Johnny has the habit of getting into trouble everywhere he goes, but luckily each time his Clark Gable lookalike guardian angel pal shows up to save him. This man not only looks like a 1930's matinee hero, he also acts like one, laughing in the face of danger and saying ‘hopla' when jumping down on somebody's head. He has even perfected the ‘James T. Kirk Drop kick'. There are some other additions to the original text: while looking for his fathers killer Johnny is sidetracked by a subplot involving a Mexican bandit called Santanna, and I also don't remember any crucifixion scene in Shakespeare's play.

The performing troupe from the prologue reappear to help the mystery along, but although Johnny manages to bed a red haired actress, he fails to use them in his plans to compromise Claudius. His other love interest Ophelia- I mean Laura appears too briefly to lose her mind, but still ends up all wet and tragic. The comedic gravedigger actually gets a bigger part in this version, and still manages to show up in the same place as always, albeit without Yorick.

The finale does take a bit too long, as there are at least three dramatic shootouts (with an ever decreasing number of participants). Some directors never learn that prolonging a hero's suffering is pointless as long as the audience knows he will eventually get his revenge. Besides that, Clark Gable will always be there to save Johnny at the last minute. I don't suppose the real Clark ever played the part of Horatio. That versions Hamlet might have survived to ride into the sunset too.

7 out of 10

Adieu, adieu ! Remember me.

Highly enjoyable

[moerchi · 9/10 · 28 December 2005]

This underrated spaghetti western, based on an idea by Sergio Corbucci and directed by Enzo Castellari of Keoma fame, sports excellent cinematography, a nice soundtrack by the recently deceased Francesco De Masi and an impressive cast. While the protagonist, played by Andrea Giordani, is the usual spaghetti 'avenging hero' fare, the highly charismatic Horst Frank and the rest of the cast do a great job. The 'Hamlet' theme injects a lot of originality into the vengeance story, the intro dream sequence being very surreal and creative. And while you will not find a deep, meaningful version of 'Hamlet' here, lots of religious metaphors are around and, along with the healthy dose of humor (which not everyone will appreciate) make this one of the more intelligent euro westerns around. Definitely recommended.

Unique Shakespeare adaption and forgetable

[jordondave-28085 · 5/10 · 6 February 2024]

(1968) Johnny Hamlet/ Quella sporca storia nel west (That Dirty Story in the West) DUBBED SPAGHETTI WESTERN

Co-written and directed by Enzo G. Castellari unique adaption of William Shakespheare's Hamlet. It has Johnny (Chip Corman) being taking care of by a traveling circus troupe while he is unconscious dreaming about his dad. We find out, Johnny after shooting two men that he has just returned from serving with the confederacy three years earlier, and learns that his dad has been murdered visiting his grave site inside of a cave. Only for him to be visited by two troublemakers, Ross (Enio Girolami) and his friend, Bill/ Guild (Pedro Sanchez) who often wears green clothing as if he is celebrating St Patrick's Day including the hat and jacket. They show up to cause trouble only for them to be stopped by one his dad's best friend's,Horace/ Harris/ Horus (Gilbert Roland). He then visit's his mother, Gertry/ Gretchen/ Arlene/ Lana Hamilton (Francoise Prevost) and notices she is now mingling with his uncle, Claude Hamilton (Horst Frank) or Johnny's dad's brother making them into an item. He suspects that Claude is up to no good, except that he does not have any proof that he is in fact murdered his dad. And it was soon revealed that Johnny's dad died as a result of a robbery regarding some missing bags of gold dust. And that according to Claude, he shot the guy or bandit that supposedly to have murdered his dad we find out his name is Santana (Manuel Serrano). Except that Harris also handed him a clue that happens to be a distinctive looking crest he also finds out that the guy who Claude claimed murdered his dad is still alive. One thing leads to another that may also include johnny's former flame, Ophelia (Gabriella Grimaldi) whose dad also happens to be the sheriff, (Giorgio Sanmartin). Down the line, we then find out that in order for Johnny to find his dad's killer, he first have to find out the whereabouts of the missing sacks of gold dust and who else was seen wearing the crest.

Although I liked the idea of the grave sites inside of a cave, the rest of the movie was not that good as both johnny and his best friend or friend of his dad's Harris both had many opportunities to get rid of the two troublemakers or pests of Ross and Bill. The movie kind of drags as every revelation has become not so surprising and becomes kind of expected. A much better movie is not based on Shakespeare withe exact same principle is "The Forgotten Pistero"

That Dirty Shakespeare Story Set in the West

[Perception_de_Ambiguity · 8/10 · 6 March 2011]

The first 30 minutes of 'Johnny Hamlet' might be the most inspired in all of Spaghetti Western. The movie opens with a misty nightmare scene that immediately let's you feel the mindset of the war-struck antihero. He awakens by an actor reciting Shakespeare with the chosen text being very appropriate for Johnny's situation. After that we get a scene of Johnny finding his father's grave which is on a cemetery in a cave. The scene has a surreal feel to it and impresses with its moving camera. Then he comes home to his mother after having been away fighting in war for two years to find her having a jolly hot time with his uncle, Johnny's father's brother. Johnny is understandably flabbergasted learning that his father got killed and finding his mom living together with his uncle all on the same day. After that Johnny meets his old flame who got married while he was away. When asking her what she knows about the killing of his father she refuses to talk, out of fear apparently. That's when two guy shows up advising Johnny not to ask so many questions and a fistfight ensues. Johnny is saved by an old friend (and a good friend of his father's) who's a tough guy and enjoys this kind of thing.

And that's how this thing starts. Yes, it's an adaption of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'. Not only is this revenge story like made for a Spaghetti Western but the film doesn't even struggle with the complex source material. The directing is inspired and clever (in those first 30 minutes I was especially impressed by the prevailing theme of melancholy) but beyond anything else it is well-written. Instead of feeling constructed the plot development feels remarkably natural with the individual characters simply following their own interests. Nevertheless this is a Spaghetti Western through and through with everything we've come to expect from films of this subgenre, including shootouts and a fine score. A bit of Spaghetti Western routine sets in after the magnificent beginning and while the action is merely competent the film thanks to its writing nevertheless manages to stay interesting until the showdown.

It's an extremely well-working mix of low-brow and high-brow cinema, if you will, with elements that fans of only low-brow cinema would call "artsy". 'Johnny Hamlet' is not only a new Spaghetti Western favorite but even an unexpected Shakespeare adaption favorite. If you are a fan of both of those "genres" I reckon this is a must-see.

Western adaptation of Hamlet (sic!)

[unbrokenmetal · 8/10 · 21 November 2005]

Based on an idea by Sergio Corbucci, Enzo Castellari directed this western adaptation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" drama, as Django (or Johnny, depending on which dubbing you get in your country) avenges the death of his father. It is interesting to observe how the classical tragedy elements work in the context of a Mediterranean style western movie. Not yet 30 years old, Castellari was already very creative at little touches like the camera circling around Django's face in the scene at his father's grave, and should take this way further in "Keoma" a decade later.

"Quella sporca storia nel west" suffers a bit from the unconvincing cast: German actor Horst Frank with his blond hair does not look like he is a member of the same family as Gilbert Roland, the veteran actor Roland is too old to play Andrea Giordana's brother, whose mother is much too young to be the mother of any of them. But even if the audience won't buy this ensemble for a family, the cruelty of the old tragedy is working great for a tough western, and the visual qualities of the movie, also gifted with a thrilling musical score by Francesco de Masi, save the day and make it a must for the collection of every spaghetti western fan. Regrettably, Andrea Giordana did not make any westerns after this anymore, because the young man had talent.

Enzo G or Not Enzo G?

[Bezenby · 8/10 · 29 May 2017]

Two worlds collide as Italian action master Enzo G Castellari takes on English wordsmith William Q Shakespeare in a mash-up of Hamlet and Spaghetti Westerns. It's faithful up to a point I guess. Not sure if Hamlet gets crucified in the play mind you.

Johnny Hamilton has a dream in which his father's ghost visits him and tells him he's been murdered and to head home and avenge his death. The usual stuff. Johnny's been hitching along with an acting troop who just happen to be performing Hamlet, so you get the 'to be or not to be' speech right there at the start of the film, on a beach, while another does backflips! Johnny heads home and meets his friend Horace, who seems reluctant to tell him what his mother's up to, and lo and behold, she's married Johnny's Uncle, the scheming Claude (Horst Frank, great as usual). Johnny now has to avenge his father's death, find out who really killed his father, get in many punch ups (like the play, right?), and kill loads of Danish Mexicans or something.

You see, Enzo is no fool. He's got the great source material, but he's still got to deliver an action-packed Western as well, and he manages to bring them together. Johnny is Hamlet, Horace is obviously Horatio, Ross and Gill I guess are (checks spelling) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, only with guns. Ophelia's there too but played down a bit.

You've also got a high instance of the 'Enzo Factor', which includes all his usual crazy camera angles, people appearing in mirrors, camera shots very often through objects (a chair, someone's legs, a bullet hole in a sheriff's badge), hyperactive camera shots, and the action amped up to ridiculous levels. I laughed twice - once when Mexican bandit Santana rode his horse through a glass door, and then again when Ennio Girolami shot a Chinese bartender by mistake.

This is a great because all the effort Enzo put into it is up there on the screen. It appeared on YouTube about a week ago in a great print. I don't imagine it will be there long, mind you.

Now someone upload The Return of Ringo! Also, my wife and I tried to go see Hamlet performed live in a park once, but for some reason the actors decided to perform it on the top of a hill while we were all seated at the bottom of the hill. It quickly became agony to sit on the tiny stools we rented so we left at the first interval, but also took the stools with us as compensation. The kids still use them to this day.

Take that Shakespeare!

Johnny Hamlet aka That Dirty Story In The West

[seveb-25179 · 8/10 · 14 July 2023]

I'm going to rank this the 6th best Spaghetti Western of all time, behind only the five Sergio Leoni classics (because personally I find Sergio Corbucci's most renowned efforts too gothic and depressing for my taste)

Enzo Castellani has studied the SL playbook and does a great job of framing his shots to maximise the value of the scenery and uses zooms and close-ups to build tension and help mitigate the limited acting skills of some of the cast.

Most Spaghetti Westerns use generic semi-arid Spanish scenery to stand in for the West of the United States, making no attempt to match the scenic grandeur achieved by John Ford, in his use of Monument Valley as a backdrop, or Anthony Mann's use of the Rocky Mountains, and fair enough too as the genre is mainly one of B movies with small budgets. However great background scenery doesn't have to cost more money, and here they make extensive use of the picturesque rock formations of "Cuidad Encantada" near the equally picturesque town of Cuenca in Spain.

The script is decent and draws some added zest from elements borrowed from Shakespeare's famous play "Hamlet", however don't expect to carry that analogy too far, as there are not nearly enough fights and shootouts in a Shakespearian play to satisfy the intended audience of a Spaghetti Western. Castellani knows this and ensures that there is plenty of action to be found here, accompanied by thuds and whacks which even exceed the usual level of impact, with each blow sounding as if a door or wall had been demolished to provide it.

I also found the choreography of the fight scenes to be above average, with fights incorporating some imaginative use of flips, throws and tumbles to season the usual diet of punches and broken furniture.

As for the acting, it's up to the expected level for a Spaghetti Western, some memorably fruity villains, a very attractive but somewhat wooden hero and female eye candy, and a single Hollywood has been, hoping to follow in Clint Eastwood's footsteps and get a career boost. In this case it is the redoubtable Gilbert Roland, who once did a shift as the Cisco Kid in B Movies of the 1940s, and he brings his customary assured macho charisma to the role of experienced friend of the hero, who steps in to save him whenever he gets in over his head, which in this movie is pretty much constantly.

Highly recommended to fans of the genre.

To Shoot Or Not to Shoot!!!

[zardoz-13 · 10/10 · 26 February 2024]

"Any Gun Can Play" writer & director Enzo G. Castellari's derivative Spaghetti western "Johnny Hamlet," headlining Andrea Giordana, Gilbert Roland, and Horst Frank, qualifies as a surreal adaptation of the English Bard's classic revenge play "Hamlet." If you think about it, the standard issue revenge theme Castellari and co-scenarists Sergio Corbucci and Tito Capi have concocted here aligns itself with the revenge theme in "Hamlet." Most Spaghetti westerns focused on revenge so it was inevitable someone must draw parallels with Shakespeare. Confederate veteran Johnny Hamilton (Andrea Giordana of "The Dirty Outlaws") returns home from the Civil War to find his father murdered and his mother remarried to his uncle. Inevitably, casual moviegoers as well as snooty Shakespeare scholars may either cringe or sneer at this western riff on "Hamlet." Nevertheless, some of Hollywood's greatest post-war horse operas drew on elements of Shakespeare. Who can forget the deeply moving "Hamlet" soliloquy a drunken thespian (Alan Mowbray) delivered in a frontier saloon in John Ford's classic 1946 western "My Darling Clementine" (1946), with Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp, Victor Mature as Doc Holliday, and Walter Brennan as Old Man Clanton? William A. Wellman's 1948 western "Yellow Sky" successfully re-imagined the underlying themes of the Shakespeare play "The Tempest" and integrated them with the tropes of the Western. Gregory Peck and Richard Widmark were bank robbers who hole up in a ghost town that served as home to a defiant dame (Anne Baxter) and her prospector grandpa (James Barton), the equivalent of the wizard Prospero. Delmar Daves's 1956 soap opera on the range "Jubal," with Glenn Ford, Ernest Borgnine, Rod Steiger, and Felicia Farr, drew on themes prevalent in "Othello." Like those classic westerns, Castellari has invoked Shakespeare here in imaginative ways. Before he shows up at the family ranch, Hamilton sojourns with a traveling troupe of actors rehearsing "Hamlet." Portions of "Johnny Hamlet" duplicate Shakespeare's story. Who killed Johnny's father? Why was he murdered? Johnny's sinister Uncle Claude (Horst Frank of "Django, Prepare a Coffin") up and marries Johnny's grieving mother Gertrude (Françoise Prévost of "The Enemy General"). Interestingly, Spaghetti western guru Sergio Corbucci provided the story for "Johnny Hamlet." Italian western buffs cannot help but notice the finale pitting Johnny against his Uncle Claude in a gunfight that borrows heavily from Corbucci's own landmark western "Django." Literally, Johnny must tie a revolver in his shattered hand when he goes gunning for sinister Uncle Claude! Just as Sergio Leone relied on Ennio Morricone's musical genius to enhance his westerns, Enzo G. Castellari depended on composer Francesco De Masi and his stirring musical cues for virtually all of his westerns. "Johnny Hamlet" bristles with shootouts. Unlike most of Castellari's other westerns, this one is surreal not only in its choice of exotic locations with mushroom shaped rock formation as well as a sprawling graveyard in a vast underground cavern but also "Seven Magnificent Guns" lenser Angelo Filippini's artsy fartsy widescreen cinematography. Filippini's camerawork is incredible for his picturesque compositions as well as his interesting rack focus shots in the graveyard. None of Castellari's other westerns resembles "Johnny Hamlet." Castellari gives all his primary characters memorable entrances into the story. For example, Uncle Claude is shown displaying his superb marksmanship skills. He shoots into lengths of pipes so his bullets will fly through them and perforate water bags behind them. Frank makes an exceptional villain. He is aided and abetted by his two dastardly henchmen, the derby clad Guild (Pedro Sanchez of "Sabata") and Ross (Ennio Girolami of "Escape from the Bronx") who constantly hound Johnny. Charismatic Hollywood silent movie star Gilbert Roland who had made his share of horse operas and played the Cisco Kid before he migrated to Europe for a fistful of Spaghetti westerns is cast as Horace, Johnny's swift-shooting mentor who always shows up when Johnny finds himself harassed by the evil likes of Guild and Ross. These two villains are homicidal hellions. Well into his 60s when he made his Spaghetti westerns, Roland with his Errol Flynn mustache performed many of his own stunts, too.

Castellari juggles his references to "Hamlet." First, he has a troupe of actors cavorting about on the periphery rehearsing their play and then his writers and he shape the plot so it imitates the tragic play. For example, the name of Johnny's father's ranch is Ranch Elsenor. Clearly, this is a riff on castle Elsinore in Shakespeare's play. Most of "Johnny Hamlet" follows our protagonist's efforts to solve the mystery of his father's demise. Everybody attributes the death of Johnny's dad to a stereotypical Mexican bandit named Santana (Manuel Serrano of "Beat the Devil") who appears to be dead himself, but as we learn later is alive and killing, allied as he is with treacherous Uncle Claude. Interestingly enough, Castellari's "Johnny Hamlet" came out the same year as Franco Zeffirelli's "Romeo and Juliet." For the record, "Johnny Hamlet" was released in Italy in March of 1968, while Zeffirelli's masterpiece came out later in October. Whether you're a Shakespeare fan or not, Castellari never lets the action bog down in lofty dialogue. Gunfights galore occur in "Johnny Hamlet" and Castellari orchestrates them with his superb staging. If it boils down to watch or not to watch "Johnny Hamlet," Spaghetti westerns completists will opt to watch it!